WESTFIELD, Ind. – NFL teams, on average, carried 3.4 tight ends on their 53-man rosters in 2023.
There's a chance, though, the Colts form their initial 53-man roster in late August with five tight ends on it.
The Colts held their first training camp practice of 2024 on Thursday with seven tight ends on their 91-man preseason roster: Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Will Mallory, Jordan Murray, Drew Ogletree, Eric Tomlinson and Jelani Woods. Alie-Cox, Granson, Mallory and Ogletree all return from 2023; Woods had a promising rookie debut in 2022; Murray has been on the practice squad for a few years and Tomlinson has played in 85 games with six teams over his career.
General manager Chris Ballard, when asked about those tight ends, said all seven are baseline "viable" NFL players.
"That's a good problem," Ballard said. "I'd rather us be talking about having five or six viable players at a position than going we don't have one viable player at a position. So, that's not a bad thing."
The Colts may not have a singular star tight end – there's not an established Travis Kelce or George Kittle or Dallas Goedert on this team – but Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen believe in the overall collection of talent in their group.
Colts tight ends in 2023 were, in total, 22nd in the NFL in receptions (70) but 13th in yards (883), 13th in touchdowns (six), 11th in first downs (47), eighth in explosive plays (23) and third in yards per reception (12.6). With the players accounting for those numbers – Alie-Cox, Granson, Mallory and Ogletree – returning, plus Woods' opportunity to earn his place back in the offense, the Colts see a lot to like here.
"Do we have a per se superstar in the group? Probably not," Ballard said. "Do we have really good players at the group? Yeah, I mean Mo Alie-Cox's got a role. Ogletree's got a role. Granson's got a little bit of a role. Mallory, we think is going to do some really good things. We've got to see with Jelani. Jelani showed some really good things as a rookie and then was hurt all last year. You've got to stay healthy and let's see what he's got. Then you've got Tomlinson who's played in this league and is a good wide-blocking tight end. So I think that will work itself out over time."
Just because the Colts have so many viable tight ends on their roster right now doesn't mean all of them can make the 53, of course. It's not a guarantee five will make it, either. The next few weeks will be critical for each of these players to prove themselves in the role envisioned for them by the Colts.
But if we get to the end of training camp and the Colts have more tight ends on their roster than any other team in the NFL, it won't be a problem. It'll be an advantage.
"I think with Shane and our offensive staff, they're going to play to the strength," Ballard said. "So if those guys have to be on the field more, 12, 13 (two tight ends, three tight ends) personnel every once in a while, then he'll do it. He'll do whatever he thinks and adjust to whatever to win, but I do think it's a good group. May not be a superstar, but it's a good group."
View the best photos from the first day of Colts training camp practice at Grand Park.
28 RB Jonathan Taylor
5 QB Anthony Richardson
28 RB Jonathan Taylor, 5 QB Anthony Richardson
28 RB Jonathan Taylor
27 RB Trey Sermon
5 QB Anthony Richardson
28 RB Jonathan Taylor
17 QB Kedon Slovis, 8 QB/WR Jason Bean, 5 QB Anthony Richardson, 4 QB Sam Ehlinger, 15 QB Joe Flacco
15 QB Joe Flacco
17 QB Kedon Slovis, 8 QB/WR Jason Bean, 5 QB Anthony Richardson, 4 QB Sam Ehlinger, 15 QB Joe Flacco
5 QB Anthony Richardson
15 QB Joe Flacco
5 QB Anthony Richardson
Head Coach Shane Steichen
5 QB Anthony Richardson
5 QB Anthony Richardson
8 QB/WR Jason Bean
Head Coach Shane Steichen
15 QB Joe Flacco
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
5 QB Anthony Richardson
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
2 WR D.J. Montgomery
2 WR D.J. Montgomery
2 WR D.J. Montgomery
16 WR Ashton Dulin
5 QB Anthony Richardson
3 WR Ethan Fernea
3 WR Ethan Fernea
6 WR Anthony Gould
12 WR Tyrie Cleveland
5 QB Anthony Richardson
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
15 QB Joe Flacco, 5 QB Anthony Richardson
12 WR Tyrie Cleveland
83 TE Kylen Granson
80 TE Jelani Woods
85 TE Drew Ogletree
5 QB Anthony Richardson, 44 LB Zaire Franklin
1 WR Josh Downs
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
50 LB Segun Olubi, 10 WR Adonai Mitchell
96 DT Taven Bryan
25 S Rodney Thomas II
39 CB Darrell Baker Jr.
21 CB Dallis Flowers
74 DT Jonah Laulu
38 S Michael Tutsie
59 LB Cameron McGrone
4 QB Sam Ehlinger
78 C Ryan Kelly
63 C Danny Pinter
62 C Wesley French
40 CB Jaylon Jones
23 CB Kenny Moore II
5 QB Anthony Richardson
5 QB Anthony Richardson
28 RB Jonathan Taylor
81 TE Mo Alie-Cox
81 TE Mo Alie-Cox, 32 S Julian Blackmon
41 LB Grant Stuard
16 WR Ashton Dulin
5 QB Anthony Richardson
47 LB Liam Anderson
50 LB Segun Olubi
23 CB Kenny Moore II
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
50 LB Segun Olubi
45 LB E.J. Speed
23 CB Kenny Moore II
1 WR Josh Downs
86 TE Will Mallory, 11 WR Michael Pittman Jr.
5 QB Anthony Richardson
5 QB Anthony Richardson
5 QB Anthony Richardson, 1 WR Josh Downs
30 CB Jaylin Simpson, 29 CB JuJu Brents
10 WR Adonai Mitchell
40 CB Jaylon Jones, 34 RB Zavier Scott, 42 S Marcel Dabo, 36 RB Trent Pennix
33 CB Micah Abraham
21 CB Dallis Flowers, 85 TE Drew Ogletree
50 LB Segun Olubi, 21 CB Dallis Flowers
21 CB Dallis Flowers, 33 CB Micah Abraham
21 CB Dallis Flowers, 34 RB Zavier Scott
Chris Ballard General Manager, 21 CB Dallis Flowers
Chris Ballard General Manager
42 S Marcel Dabo
43 S Trevor Denbow
1 WR Josh Downs, 5 QB Anthony Richardson
32 S Julian Blackmon
73 T Blake Freeland
14 WR Alec Pierce
56 G Quenton Nelson
90 DT Grover Stewart, 56 G Quenton Nelson
28 RB Jonathan Taylor
48 S Ronnie Harrison Jr., 28 RB Jonathan Taylor
32 S Julian Blackmon
44 LB Zaire Franklin
23 CB Kenny Moore II
32 S Julian Blackmon
15 QB Joe Flacco
62 C Wesley French
29 CB JuJu Brents
11 WR Michael Pittman Jr., 5 QB Anthony Richardson
62 C Wesley French
31 RB Tyler Goodson
20 S Nick Cross, 48 S Ronnie Harrison Jr., 23 CB Kenny Moore II
25 S Rodney Thomas II
31 RB Tyler Goodson
17 QB Kedon Slovis, 5 QB Anthony Richardson
15 QB Joe Flacco
6 WR Anthony Gould
93 DT Eric Johnson II, 99 DT DeForest Buckner, 90 DT Grover Stewart, 96 DT Taven Bryan
99 DT DeForest Buckner
34 RB Zavier Scott
34 RB Zavier Scott
60 G Tanor Bortolini
Richard Smith Linebackers/Run Game Coordinator
97 DE Laiatu Latu
97 DE Laiatu Latu
54 DE Dayo Odeyingbo
54 DE Dayo Odeyingbo, 52 DE Samson Ebukam
97 DE Laiatu Latu
97 DE Laiatu Latu
97 DE Laiatu Latu
74 DT Jonah Laulu
99 DT DeForest Buckner
99 DT DeForest Buckner
52 DE Samson Ebukam
74 DT Jonah Laulu
94 DE Tyquan Lewis
90 DT Grover Stewart, 51 DE Kwity Paye, 44 LB Zaire Franklin
90 DT Grover Stewart
52 DE Samson Ebukam
29 CB JuJu Brents
99 DT DeForest Buckner
44 LB Zaire Franklin
44 LB Zaire Franklin
44 LB Zaire Franklin
44 LB Zaire Franklin
5 QB Anthony Richardson
25 S Rodney Thomas II
78 C Ryan Kelly, 75 C/G Will Fries
39 CB Darrell Baker Jr.
5 QB Anthony Richardson
5 QB Anthony Richardson
5 QB Anthony Richardson, 56 G Quenton Nelson, 78 C Ryan Kelly
5 QB Anthony Richardson, 27 RB Trey Sermon
31 RB Tyler Goodson, 15 QB Joe Flacco
4 QB Sam Ehlinger
49 TE Eric Tomlinson, 34 RB Zavier Scott, 50 LB Segun Olubi, 68 G Dalton Tucker, 78 C Ryan Kelly, 63 C Danny Pinter, 65 G Josh Sills, Head Coach Shane Steichen
49 TE Eric Tomlinson, 34 RB Zavier Scott, 50 LB Segun Olubi, 68 G Dalton Tucker, 78 C Ryan Kelly, 63 C Danny Pinter, 65 G Josh Sills, Head Coach Shane Steichen
86 TE Will Mallory
65 G Josh Sills
5 QB Anthony Richardson
97 DE Laiatu Latu
57 LB Jaylon Carlies
8 QB/WR Jason Bean
Charlie Partridge Defensive Line
